Spock’s ears: A pointy trademark for Leonard NimoyFeb 28, 2015 4:40 PMAssociated Press
Leonard Nimoy, who died Friday at age 83, likely had the most famous lobes in Hollywood. As the logical half-human, half-alien Mr. Spock in “Star Trek,” his pointy Vulcan appendages became a signature — and a nuisance — for the actor. Here’s a few facts about those iconic ears:

New Hampshire lake is Lower 48’s only ice runwayFeb 28, 2015 2:49 PMAssociated Press
After being grounded by bad ice and worse weather for most of the winter, the Alton Bay Seaplane Base and its ice runway are open.Dozens of pilots from all over the Northeast took advantage of a rare, sunny, storm-free Saturday to touch down on the frozen lake, the only ice runway in the lower 48 states approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Maybe we’re a little hasty in shout-out to aliensFeb 28, 2015 8:47 PMBy Joel Achenbach
“We have already sent signals into space that will alert the aliens to our presence with the transmissions and street lighting of the last 70 years,” Seth Shostak, an astronomer at the SETI Institute and a supporter of the more aggressive approach, has written. “These emissions cannot be recalled.”That’s true only to a point, say the critics of active SETI. They argue that unintentional planetary leakage, such as “I Love Lucy,” is omnidirectional and faint, and much harder to detect than an intentional, narrowly focused signal transmitted at a known planet.

2 loose llamas lassoed after running amok near PhoenixFeb 27, 2015 6:10 AMBy TERRY TANG
Two quick-footed llamas dashed in and out of traffic in a Phoenix-area retirement enclave before they were captured by authorities, causing a stir in the streets and on social media.

Antarctica’s retreating ice may re-shape EarthFeb 27, 2015 4:13 PMBy Luis Andres Henao and Seth Borenstein
Just last month, scientists noticed in satellite images that a giant crack in an ice shelf on the peninsula called Larsen C had grown by about 12 miles in 2014. Ominously, the split broke through a type of ice band that usually stops such cracks. If it keeps going, it could cause the breaking off of a giant iceberg somewhere between the size of Rhode Island and Delaware, about 1,700 to 2,500 square miles, said British Antarctic Survey scientist Paul Holland.

Water leaks into astronaut’s helmetFeb 25, 2015 4:02 PMAssociated Press
Three spacewalks had been planned, with the next one Sunday, but its status was uncertain given Wednesday’s mishap. Managers will meet Friday, as planned, to discuss it.Terry Virts said the air lock was being repressurized when he first noticed the water. He said he reported it about a minute later.

CEO sells programs to predict crime, but has his own battlesFeb 25, 2015 5:46 PMBy Ronnie Greene and Eileen Sullivan
His company, Assessments.com, has won 100 contracts with state and county governments from Florida to California. He has spoken at justice forums in Texas, Idaho and Washington state.At the same time,Sean Hosman has been arrested at least nine times since 2010, four for DUI and one for cocaine possession. Just like tens of thousands of defendants undergoing this process known as risk assessment, he has been booked, assessed, jailed and sent to rehab.He said he has been clean since July 5, 2012, the date of his last DUI.

Pink cloud visible in Arizona after rocket launchFeb 25, 2015 3:07 PMAssociated Press
The rocket was launched from White Sands Missile Range at 5:26 a.m., and a bright pink cloud was visible for the next 20 minutes as sunlight hit the vapor released from the rocket, range spokeswoman Cammy Montoya said.

Family celebrates triplets’ one-month birthdaysFeb 25, 2015 5:50 PMAssociated Press
A suburban Detroit couple who have two older children are adjusting to life after becoming parents to identical triplets — a multiple birth that’s rare.The Whiteley family of St. Clair Shores is celebrating the one-month birthdays Wednesday for Alexander, Nicholas and Timothy.

Huge plant waited 80 years to flower, has month to liveFeb 22, 2015 4:15 PMAssociated Press
The unusually old specimen has called Ann Arbor home since 1934. It grew to 28 feet tall after a rapid growth spurt last spring that preceded its flowering, which ended last year. Once it stopped flowering, the agave went into rapid decline, which is normal for the species, said Mike Palmer, horticulture manager at the school’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens.